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One of Tarnów's most exclusive hotels, Bristol's immaculate rooms come with mini-bars, cable television, spacious beds and luxurious showers. QC‑4, ul. Krakowska 9, tel. (+48) 880 47 74 77, www.hotelbristol.com.pl. 17 rooms (2 apartments). PL6KH hhhh
Euro Aparthotel
5 Słoneczne Wzgórze
Hotel Hostel Church Jewish Interest Museum Gallery Monument Street Art Train Station Bus Stop Market Car Park Park & Ride Tourist Information Cinema Theatre Post Office Playground Bike station Viewpoint Swimming
In a renovated historical townhouse minutes from the main square, Zakątna offers 9 rooms and apartments in an assortment of European styles. QE‑4, ul. Zakątna 19, tel. (+48) 513 09 73 92, www.aparthotelzakatna.pl. PX6 i
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POLISH Charming traditional Polish restaurant delighting with classic Polish soup and meat-based dishes - hearty fare in the heart of the Old Town.QD‑4, Weklarska 6, www.pyzatarnow.pl. Open 11:00-18:00. €. T
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INTERNATIONAL Hidden away in a passageway off the Rynek, this Tarnów favourite offers up fresh pasta and some of the most delicious food you'll find in town.QD‑4, Pl. Kazimierza Wlk. 2 (Pasaż Tertila), www.polnapol-tarnow.pl. Open 11:3022:00; Fri, Sat 11:30-23:00; Sun 11:30-22:30. €€. T6
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POLISH Centrally located classic Polish eatery with big windows and elegant decor, Obsesja Smaku offers unpretentious, honest Polish home-cooking.QC‑4, ul. Krakowska 3, www.obsesja-smaku.pl. Open 11:00-19:00; Mon, Fri, Sat 11:00-21:00; Sun 11:00-20:00. €€. ATB6
INTERNATIONAL One of Tarnow's more substantial servings, head south to dine on traditional Polish and Hungarian dishes below the ruins of Tarnowski Castle.QAl. Tarnowskich 75 (Zabłocie), www.podzamczetarnow.pl. Open 12:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-22:00. €€. TU
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INTERNATIONAL A friendly family restaurant with good food, specialising in thin-crust pizza, pasta and pierogi, plus coffee and cakes.QD‑4, Pl. Kazimierza Wielkiego 3, www.bistroprzepis. pl. Open 12:00-21:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-23:00; closed Mon. €€. TB6
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Arguably the best accommodation on the market square, this historical inn offers great views, food, bike rental, billiards and more.QD‑4, Rynek 14, tel. (+48) 14 626 05 64, www.euroaparthotel.pl. 12 rooms. TUL6KH hhh
Hotel GAL
This handsome Art Nouveau hotel has been beautifully restored, retaining historic architectural details while modernising the facilities.QA‑6, ul. Dworcowa 5, tel. (+48) 530 04 08 56, www.hotelgaltarnow.pl. 33 rooms (3 apartments). PTULHDFw i hhh
Cristal Park
West of the centre, this is a solid value with numerous suites, a sauna, salt room, top restaurant and 24hr bar with billiards.Qul. Traugutta 5 (Mościce), tel. (+48) 14 633 12 25, www.cristalpark.pl. 75 rooms. PU6KHDFw hhh
Słoneczne Wzgórze 6
Located just east of the Old Town in Sanguszko Park, this hotel is designed specifically for those with disabilities, but all are welcome.Qul. Sanguszków 28A, tel. (+48) 14 688 00 50, www.slonecznewzgorze.tarnow.pl. TULKH i
Tourist Information Centre
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Publisher: IYP City Guides Sp. z o.o. Sp.k., ul. Karmelicka 46/51, 31-128 Kraków tel. +48 606 749 676, poland@inyourpocket.com, iyp.com.pl Cover photo: Tarnów Town Hall and Market Square; photo by Krzysztof Gzyl, courtesy of Tarnowskie Centrum Informacji. Copyright Notice: Text, maps and photos copyright IYP City Guides Sp. z o.o. Sp.k. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Bernardinu 9-4, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76).
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Karabela
Clean, carpeted accommodation right on the Rynek, directly upstairs from the Tourist Info Centre. Available on booking.com.QD‑4, Rynek 7, tel. (+48) 14 688 90 90, www.tarnow.travel. 4 rooms. PH
Activities & Culture
Śródmieście Pub
Alfa Club
An enormous dancefloor flanked by mirrors and lounge sofas, this is Tarnów's most modern dance club, and probably also its best.QC‑4, ul. Staszica 3, www.alfaclub24.pl. Open Fri, Sat 21:00-late. XU
Haunted Haus
Arena Jaskółka Tarnów
This modern sports hall in Mościce was opened in late 2019 and hosts sports events, concerts and all sorts of large-scale functions.Qul. Romualda Traugutta 3B, www.arena.tarnow.pl. Open during events only. State-of-the-art new concert hall venue in Tarnów also offering workshops and music lessons.Qul. Lippóczy’ego 4, tel. +48 14 621 04 08, www.zsmuz. tarnow.pl/sala-koncertowa.
Soprano
Leprikon Irish Pub
Passage of Discovery
Sofa
BREAKFAST A contemporary cafe/bistro, Sofa offers a range of healthy breakfast and lunch options in cosy surrounds.QD‑3, ul. Wałowa 15, www.sofatarnow.pl. Open 6:30-20:00; Sat 08:00-21:00; Sun 08:00-20:00. €. TU
Tatrzańska
POLISH One of Tarnów's oldest and most respected restaurants, offering traditional Polish food and professional service in an elegant locale.QC‑4, ul. Krakowska 1, www.kudelski.pl. Open 09:00-21:00; Sat, Sun 09:00-22:00. €€. XTU
Śródmieście Pub
With Polish microbrews, cheap pub eats and beer snacks, teles for league matches and more, this is the most well-rounded bar in Tarnów.QD‑4, Pl. Kazimierza Wlk. 2 (entrance from Pasaż Tertila). Open Mon, Tue, Wed 11:30-22:00; Thu 11:30-23:00; Fri, Sat 11:30-02:00; Sun 11:30-22:00.
Whiplash Music Bar
A carnivore-inspired gastropub specialising in steaks. Listen to live music as you chew with local rock/jazz and blues acts performing.QD‑4, ul. Wałowa 2. Open 7:30-22:30; Fri 7:30-00:00; Sat 11:00-00:00; Sun 11:00-22:30. EK
Train Station
By Bus
One of the largest, and most beautiful Polish stations east of Kraków, Tarnów’s railway station was opened in 1910, and has been fully modernised to include all the services you’d expect (ticket machines, shops, cafes and eateries, free wifi, charger ports), while retaining its original character - including Edmund Cieczkiewicz’s paintings of the Tatra and Pieniny mountains, which were funded by k the early train owners over a century ago. W ąto In front of the station is a large public square, while inside you’ll find a branch of the BWA art gallery displaying works by Małopolska artists (open 09:0017:00; closed Mon, Sat; admission free) and Galeria Panorama - a branch of the Tarnów District Museum (see Museums). Walking to the market square only takes 10mins up ul. Krakowska, while a taxi from outside the station costs about 10-12zł.QA‑6, Pl. Dworcowy 4, www.rozklad.pkp.pl. Ticket windows open 06:00-21:00. Currently, Tarnów has no proper bus station. As a result, bus journey times vary, as does the final stop. While many intercity buses stop near the Tarnów train station at 'Do Huty Park & Ride' (A-6), some buses from Kraków may also stop 1.5km to the west at the 'Kochanowskiego 03 - Chyszowska' bus stop. From June, buses coming from the A4 highway will stop at the new Park & Ride/Transfer Hub at the intersection of Aleja Jana Pawła II and ul. Błonie, where you can grab bus connections south to the Old Town.
Getting Around Once you’ve arrived in Tarnów your main mode of transport is likely to be your own feet, or rent a bike; the latter can be done from April until the end of November using the Tarnów City Bike system (all bike stands are marked on the map). If you’ve brought your own vehicle, you’ll find public parking lots marked on our map, including several just off the market square. Street parking is also widely available and must be paid Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00 (look for the handy ticket machines). Tarnów also has a few ‘Park & Ride’ choices within easy access to public transport - one near the train station (A-6; 3zł/24hrs), another on ul. Ks. J. Marszałka (E-1; absolutely free), and a third will open at the intersection of Al. Jana Pawła II and ul. Błonie in June. The Uber and FreeNow ride share apps are popular in Tarnów. For local taxi service call Radio Taxi Viva (+48 14 196 22, taxi-viva.pl).
Public Buses
Though trams once trundled the streets of Tarnów, today the city makes do with an extensive public bus system, which runs daily from 04:0024:00. Though many visitors will find them unnecessary, buses are useful for travelling to Mościce and St. Martin's Hill. Though most visitors will find them unnecessary for sightseeing around the Old Town, buses are essential for travelling to Mościce, St. Martin’s Hill, and hotels not located right in the centre. Use tarnow.jakdojade.pl to figure out how to get to your destination. Kiosks sell tickets, and a single fare/30min ticket costs 3.60/1.80zł; note that the driver only sells 60min tickets for 5/2.50zł and you must pay by card. Make sure you immediately stamp your ticket in the small machines onboard; inspectors do travel the lines handing out fines to those without valid tickets.Qwww.komunikacja.tarnow.pl.
Passage of Discovery
Finding this friendly cult bar is like crashing a house party only to be embraced by the hosts, offered a drink and introduced to everyone.QD‑3/4, ul. Żydowska 20. Open Thu 17:00-23:00; Fri 17:00-01:00; Sat 18:00-01:00; closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. Opening hours are subject to change. 6 Not the most authentic Irish pub, but still the Guinness, Irish breakfast and other pub grub - right on the Rynek - are a comfort to many.QD‑4, Rynek 16. Open 12:00-23:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-02:00; Sun 12:00-23:00.
Thanks to the fast and free A4 highway, Tarnów is easily reached by car, and less than an hour’s drive east from Kraków. A good network of train and bus services link Tarnów with major destinations throughout Poland; connections to Kraków are fast and frequent, and train times to Warsaw are under 3.5hrs. Use e-podroznik.pl to easily search bus and train timetables, compare prices and buy tickets. The nearest airport to Tarnów is Kraków Balice (90km by motorway).
Shopping
INTERNATIONAL Classy restaurant in the elegant interiors of a nineteenth-century manor house, offering a high-end take on Polish classics.QC-3, ul. Batorego 19 Tarnów, www.rozana-batorego19.pl. Open 11:00-21:00. €€€. TB ITALIAN Perhaps Tarnów's best restaurant in terms of both food and atmosphere, Soprano serves exquisite Italian food and features an alluring garden.QC‑4, ul. Mościckiego 6, www.soprano-tarnow.pl. Open 12:00-22:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-21:00. €€€. T
Getting There
Concert Hall and Music School
The Passage of Discovery will sate science- space- and technology-based curiosities, plus teens will love its interactive multimedia focus.QD‑4, Rynek 4, www.pasazodkryc.pl. Open 08:00-17:00; Sat, Sun 10:00-18:00; closed Mon. Admission 24zł/22zł.
Tarnów Amphitheatre
This outdoor venue dates back to 1955 but has been fully renovated and is a wonderful place to enjoy concerts and events (May - Sept).QC‑3, ul. Kopernika 4, www.tck.pl. Open 10:00-20:00. Open from May to September.
Tarnowski Rower Miejski
A city-wide bike rental service - 190 bikes available across 18 stations for riders' convenience.Qtel. +48 14 635 15 15, www.rower.tarnow.pl.
Organ Grinder at ‘Burek’ Square
Burek Square
The whimsical Organ Grinder stands outside Tarnów's popular marketplace - bursting with stalls selling fresh produce - fruit, meat, flowers and more. QD‑4, Pl. Gen. J. Bema. Open 07:00-17:00; Sun 07:00-17:00 (flowers only).
Galeria Tarnovia
A modern shopping mall just southwest of the centre, and easily accessible by public transport.Qul. Krakowska 149 (Koszyce), www.galeria-tarnovia.com. Open 10:00-21:00; closed Sun.
Pasieka Radwan
Get a buzz from supporting local beekeepers by buying a jar of their honey or some natural beeswax candles.QD‑5, ul. Panny Marii 9, www.pasiekaradwan.pl. Open 07:30-17:00; Sat 07:30-13:00; closed Sun. N
Tourist Information Centre
One of your best bets for souvenirs, books, postcards, the city's official blue beaded necklaces, Tarninówka tea and more.QD‑4, Rynek 7, www.tarnow. travel. Open 08:00-18:00; Sat, Sun 09:00-17:00.
Trzech Kumpli Shop
The shop of one of PL's best breweries, drop in for a friendly natter and scope out their full selection of beers, ales and cool t-shirts.Qul. Krakowska 113, www.trzechkumpli.com. Open 10:00-21:00; Sat 10:00-18:00; closed Sun.
Introducing Tarnów
Sightseeing
Listed as one of the 15 most beautiful towns in Europe by CNN, charming Tarnów lies eighty kilometres east of Kraków, near the crossroads of two ancient trade routes. Małopolska’s second city by size, Tarnów offers visitors the comforts of a small town with the historical and cultural intrigue of a much bigger city. In addition to a well-preserved Old Town - which includes a glorious Cathedral, Town Hall, market square and many pedestrian avenues - in Tarnów visitors will discover unique and worthwhile museums, several wooden churches, historic cemeteries, castle ruins and a scenic overlook, as well as dozens of artistic and historical monuments at every turn. Those with a special interest in Jewish history will also discover a town with a deep Jewish heritage, many traces of which are still in evidence today. While the town’s nightlife may not have the sizzle of a large city, there are still plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants, the best of which we list here, where you’ll find it easy to meet friendly local folks who are proud of their city and eager to present a good impression to foreigners. For more in-depth info on Tarnów and the surrounding area, visit our website - iyp.me/tarnow. Also, explore Tarnów, plus dozens of other destinations across Europe and the world, with our free app - iyp.me/app.
Tourist Information Centre
Awarded as the best TI office in Poland again for 2019, make this your first port of call on arrival. Here (and on their multilingual www.tarnow.travel website, www.tarnow.travel) you’ll find a wide range of free information on Tarnów and the surrounding region, free internet (browse away), luggage lockers, souvenirs, and there’s even accommodation available upstairs. The friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic English-speaking staff can give you whatever additional information or advice you can’t find here, so don’t be shy. QD‑4, Rynek 7, tel. (+48) 14 688 90 90, www.tarnow.travel. Open 08:00-20:00; Sat 09:00-17:00; closed Sun.
The Market Square
1
Market Square & Town Hall
The Old Synagogue Bimah
2
Tarnów Cathedral
Józef Bem Monument & Mural
4
The centre of the city’s social life and business trade since early times, Tarnów’s market square was conceived in the early 14th century when it was laid out on a sandy hill surrounded by a lower loop of city walls and defensive towers. Although the defensive fortifications no longer remain (with the exception of a few fragments), the medieval layout of the Old Town remains intact to this day. Measuring 74.5 by 89.4 metres, Tarnów’s market square includes two reconstructed medieval wells in the north-east and south-west corners, and is surrounded on all four sides by fine Renaissance merchant houses dating from the 16th to the 18th century. Today these buildings host various cultural venues, museums, restaurants and cafes, and in the spring and summer the Rynek comes to life with tables and chairs from the businesses lining it, and has a warm and welcoming appeal.
Dating from the 14th century with major additions and rebuilds in the 15th and 19th centuries, the Neo-Gothic Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, must rate as one of the most impressive parish churches in Poland. Of note is the 16th-century portal, the impressive several-metre-long monuments to the Tarnowski and Ostrogski families, a number of extraordinary paintings and the impressive, 72-metre tower, a handy point of reference when getting lost in one of Tarnów’s many rambling back streets. Some nice recent additions are also evident, including the fabulously ornate sculpted metal doors on the southern side of the building, and a large monument of Pope John Paul II outside the entrance.QD‑4, Pl. Katedralny, tel. (+48) 14 621 45 01, www.katedratarnowska. pl. Open 08:30-12:00, 13:00-17:00; Sun 13:00-15:00, 16:00-18:00.
At its centre stands the Town Hall, a lovely 15th-century building originally constructed in the Gothic style and remodelled at the end of the 16th century in a classic Renaissance manner, topped off with gargoyles and a 30m tower from which Tarnów’s ‘hejnał’ – a short traditional melody – is played every day at 12:00. Rather amusingly, 12:00 depends on which side of the building you’re on, as the time displayed by the Town Hall’s two clocks (located just below the tower) differs by two minutes. This can be forgiven when one considers that the manually wound clock - whose 10-metre shaft spans the entire building - has otherwise operated flawlessly without being modernised since the 1600s. Today the Town Hall is accessible as a branch of the Tarnów District Museum and worth a visit.QD‑4, Rynek.
Józef Bem Monument & Mural
Memorial for the First Transport of Prisoners to Auschwitz
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The Former Mikvah & Auschwitz Memorial
Strzelecki Park
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Tarnów Jewish Cemetery
Between ul. Żydowska (Jewish Street) and Plac Rybny (Fish Square) stood The Old Synagogue, Tarnów’s primary place of worship for 45% of its population when war broke out in 1939. The first synagogue at this site dates back to some time before 1582; the frequent victim of fires, the wooden structure was finally rebuilt out of brick in 1670. On November 8th, 1939, the Old Synagogue was destroyed by the Nazis and later demolished; all that remains today is the brick ‘bimah’ - a four-pillared podium from which the Torah was read. In 1987 a roof was placed over the bimah to protect it, and the area around it has since been renovated into an appealing public space which hosts concerts during the annual celebrations of the ‘Galician Shtetl - Jewish Memory Days’ each summer. Today the bimah is the most visible and perhaps the most important monument to Tarnów’s Jewish heritage.QD‑4, Skwer Starej Synagogi.
Tarnów’s greatest son was without doubt Józef Bem (1794-1850). A national hero of Poland, Hungary and Turkey, Bem fought for independence movements at home and abroad throughout a diverse and distinguished career. Finishing military school in Kraków, Bem participated in the Russian campaign of 1812 under Napoleon, earning France’s highest military honour at only 19 years old. He then won PL’s highest military honour - the Virtuti Militari - during the doomed November Uprising (against Tsarist rule in PL) in 1830, survived a Russian assassination attempt in Portugal, and joined the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, winning numerous battles while outnumbered against Austrian and Russian troops. Finally defeated, Bem escaped to Turkey and eventually became the governor of Aleppo in today’s Syria, where he saved the city’s Christian population from massacre by the Muslims. Dying of a fever at age 56, Bem’s remains were brought back to Tarnów in 1929, and interred in a grand mausoleum in the middle of a pond in Strzelecki Park (D-1).
Tarnów’s ritual Jewish bathhouse was designed in the Moorish style by local architects Franciszek Hackbeil Sr. and Michał Mikoś, and opened in 1904. In use by the local Jewish community until Nazi occupation, during WWII Tarnów’s mikvah was used as a detention centre for prisoners bound for the concentration camps. Famously, 753 convicts from the local prison (mostly non-Jews) were locked in this building overnight, then washed, disinfected and escorted under gunpoint to the train station on the morning of June 14th, 1940, from whence they were sent to Oświęcim to become the first inmates of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Not yet a death camp, these inmates were given the camp’s lowest prisoner identification numbers. Only about 200 survived the war, and a communist-era monument opposite the mikvah honours their memory. After the war, the building of the mikvah was used as a public bath, and various restaurants, nightclubs and other businesses have occupied it since.QE‑3, Pl. Więźniów Oświęcimia 1.
This 2.5 metre tall bronze monument was unveiled in 1985, and depicts Bem in a Hungarian uniform. On the wall nearby is a mural of the General with his staff at the Battle of Sibiu in 1849. The image is from a fragment of the famous Transylvanian Panorama by Jan Styka - an epic 120 x 50 metre panoramic painting from 1897 which was cut into pieces, scattered and lost for 70 years. Today 21 of these fragments can be seen in Tarnów’s Galeria Panorama in the train station (A-6). A special Józef Bem Trail can be followed in Tarnów, which takes in his Mausoleum, birthplace (Pl. Gen. J. Bema 8, D-4) and more; visit the Tourist Info Office for details.QD‑3, ul. Forteczna 6.
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Unveiled in 2000, this was the first monument in Poland to explicitly memorialise, in the public space, the Soviet crimes in Katyń, Charków, Twer and other execution sites, as well as those members of the Home Army and other Polish independence organisations condemned to death or imprisonment in PRL courts. Cast in bronze and standing 6m high, the memorial depicts a woman (symbolising Poland) from which three eagles are flying away, atop a cracked granite pedestal (symbolising the division of PL after the outbreak of WWII). QE‑3, Pl. Ofiar Stalinizmu.
Located just north of the city centre, this 8-hectare English-style garden park was established in 1866 and lovingly renovated in 2020. Planted with many unique trees, bushes and perennials, within the picturesque grounds you’ll find some interesting architectural structures, namely Pałacyk Strzelecki - a 19th century neo-Gothic shooting range building adopted to host the BWA, Tarnów’s best art gallery (C-2, open 11:00-18:00; Sun 12:0019:00; closed Mon, Sat). The park’s other highlight is General Bem’s unusual mausoleum, which rises out of the middle of a pond atop six tall columns at the park’s north end (D-1). Home to Bem's ashes since 1929, the sarcophagus bears inscriptions in Polish, Hungarian and Turkish. The pond below is home to swans and ducks and full of water lilies, making this one of Tarnów's most photogenic places.QC/D‑1. Open 05:30-22:30.
Koci Zamek
Székelys Gate
St. Mary’s Church
St. Martin’s Hill
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The Old Synagogue Bimah
Memorial For the Victims of Stalinism
Established in the late 16th century and 3.2 hectares, Tarnów’s 16thcentury Jewish Cemetery is one of the oldest and largest in Poland, with about 6000 thousand gravestones. Desecrated by the Nazis, who used it as a mass execution site for Jews from the Tarnów Ghetto, millions of złoty have been invested in conservation works in recent years. Near the entrance is a monument dedicated to the Jews of Tarnów, built from broken tombstones and a column from the city’s destroyed synagogue. The cemetery’s original gates were donated to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC in 1991, and their replacements are kept firmly locked, however it is possible to borrow a key by leaving a 50zł deposit at the Tourist Info Centre (Rynek 7).QE/F‑2. 8
Strzelecki Park
History First mentioned in a document dated 1124, Tarnów was granted city rights by King Władysław Łokietek in 1330 – an event celebrated by a monument of the King on ul. Wałowa. It was at this time that the medieval layout the city retains to this day was created. Privately owned until 1787, Tarnów’s greatest period of growth came under nobleman Jan Tarnowski during the 16th century, when the Old Town was largely reconstructed in the manner that today earns it the accolade of being Poland’s ‘Pearl of the Renaissance.’ The Tarnowski clan expired without an heir in 1567 and the city was later incorporated into the Austrian-Hungarian Empire during the era of Polish partitions. Tarnów’s citizens were quick to join the Polish legions when WWI broke out and the region saw many battles between the Russian and Austro-Hungarian armies, resulting in a trail of WWI memorial sites and cemeteries in the area.
Szczepanik Square
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In October 1918 Tarnów gained notoriety when it became the first Polish city to reclaim independence after 146 years of occupation, and again on August 28th, 1939 when German terrorists detonated an explosive in the city’s train station killing 20 people and leading some historians to claim that WWII officially started here in Tarnów. The bombs would start falling from the sky six days later and by September 7th the Nazis had captured the city. The first Jews settled in Tarnów in the mid-15th century and by 1939 their numbers had reached 25,000 – nearly half the city’s total population. On June 14th 1940, 728 Tarnów residents (mostly Poles, in fact) became the first victims of Auschwitz; of 40,000 Jews crammed into Tarnów’s ghetto, over 10,000 were executed and the rest deported to the Bełżec death camp. Today no active Jewish community remains. Tarnów was a stronghold of resistance during Nazi occupation, before eventual ‘liberation’ into the communist regime on January 17, 1945. The city developed rapidly in the postwar period as the monstrous soviet-era residential blocks in the north-east part of the city became home to over one-third of its 100,000 population in the mid-70s. The rise of meat prices in July 1980 inspired a series of strikes in Tarnów, which predated the Gdańsk shipyard strikes (that would eventually lead to the communist regime’s collapse) by over a month. Since Poland’s ascension to the EU in 2004, Tarnów has enjoyed the revitalisation of its Old Town and is increasingly gaining attention as a noteworthy tourist destination.
Museums & Galleries
Szczepanik Square
Named after local hero Jan Szczepanik, this small public square just north of the Old Town has become a sort of shrine to ‘Tarnów’s Edison.’ Born in 1872 in the small village of Rudniki (now in western Ukraine), Szczepanik started his adult life as an unassuming teacher before discovering his passion and talent for collecting patents, of which he possessed several hundred for the 50-some inventions to his credit over the course of his career. This visionary pioneer of motion pictures, colour television, colour photography, early flying machines, submarines, the wireless telegraph, the bullet-proof jacket and a whole host of other things we take for granted today, moved his workshop from Vienna to Tarnów after falling in love with Wanda Dzikowska, the daughter of a Tarnów doctor, whom he married in Tarnów Cathedral in 1902 and fathered five children with. The sadly overlooked inventor died of liver cancer in his adopted hometown in 1926, but is fondly remembered in this square which features a two-level fountain and prominently displays a monument of Szczepanik, plus an outdoor exhibit on his life and inventions, as well as a long curving wall that includes a large mirrored bust of his iconic head, his signature and some important dates from his career. Make a detour in your wanderings to give it a look.QD‑3, Plac Szczepanika. 10
Poets’ Bench
Located on Tarnów’s main pedestrian street opposite ul. Wałowa 10 are the seated sculptures of three popular 20th century Polish writers and literary figures: Agnieszka Osiecka, Jan Brzechwa and Zbigniew Herbert. Created by Jacek Kucaba, the work led to debate over the suitability of the chosen poets when it was unveiled in 2004. Today, however, it is one of Tarnów’s
Fountains of Tarnów
most popular and photographed sculptures. The boxes beside each writer are intended to contain books authored by them; take a peek to see if you’re so lucky.QD‑3, ul. Wałowa. 11
King Władysław Łokietek Monument
On March 7th, 1330, Polish King Władysław Łokietek bestowed Tarnów cityfounder Spycimir Leliwita with a document - an original copy of which survives to this day in Kraków’s Czartoryski Museum - granting his new city the right to self-govern under Magdeburg Law, in recognition of services rendered to the crown. 678 years later, the citizens were still so grateful that they erected this impressive 3.5m bronze statue of the king to commemorate his gracious act. Towering over a large square in front of a preserved segment of Tarnów’s original defensive walls off ul. Wałowa, in real-life sculptor Czesław Dźwigaj’s subject was much smaller, hence his affectionate nickname of ‘Władysław the Elbow-high.’ Locals believe that if you rub the king’s shoe your wishes will come true...but only if you use your right hand, of course.QD‑4, ul. Wałowa 7. 12
Koci Zamek
One of Tarnów’s most unique architectural monuments, this charming red brick building, affectionately known locally as the ‘Cat Castle,’ is worth seeking out for its highly eclectic mishmash of architectural styles and ornamental details, including gargoyles, turrets, irregular bricks and glazed bricks, two horse heads and an odd Latin inscription. Designed in 1893 by city architect Szczęsny Zaremba, the original owner of this private residence is a matter of speculation. Current owner and local art collector Zbigniew Zarywski plans to some day open the building and its gardens to the public as a museum, but for now you’ll have to admire it from outside the gates.QC‑4, ul. Batorego 13.
Enotourism
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Székelys Gate & Petöfi Square
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The Organ Grinder
Refered to by some as Tarnów’s ‘Hungarian district,’ this public square is entered via the decorative Székelys Gate - a wonderful example of traditional Szekler wood carving. Featuring a shingled roof and floral folk motifs, the gate is a symbolic portal connecting Poland and Hungary in kinship and respect; the inscription reads, “Peace to those who enter, blessings to those who exit.” One of only three such monuments in all of Poland, the gate was a gift to the city from the Székelys (or ‘Szekler’) people - a Hungarian ethnic group from the Carpathian Mountains. During the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Székelys comprised General Józef Bem’s main fighting force, and won several victories over the Austrian Empire before the Russian Army entered the war and overpowered them. Among Bem’s officers was Sandor Petöfi the Hungarian poet and revolutionary, who died at the Battle of Segesvár; his bust can be found in this square, which is named in his honour.
Tarnów’s newest monument was unveiled on Plac Bema in July 2014 to celebrate the conclusion of renovation works at ‘the Burek.’ Paying homage to the local and itinerant street performers who were a common sight at the market during the 19th century, Arkadiusz Latos’ bronze sculpture actually comes to life upon approach.QD‑4, Pl. Bema.
Beyond the gate can be found additional examples of traditional Székelys wood carving in the form of several ‘kopjafa’ (kopijniki in Polish) - wooden totems erected on the graves of heroes who fell in battle. Each kopjafa is unique, and its decorative motifs convey different meanings about the deceased. In 2004 a kopjafa was erected for Furgon Mihaly - a Hungarian lawyer, historian and soldier who was injured during the 1914 Siege of Przemyśl and brought to Tarnów, where he died of his wounds. In 2008, a second kopjafa was erected in honour of Norbert Lippóczy - a Hungarian who settled in Tarnów to run a family winery and became a notable folk art collector, local philanthropist and founder of the Tarnów Friends of Hungary Society.QC‑4, Plac Petöfiego.
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St. Mary’s Church
Known locally as the ‘Church by the Burek’, this beautiful little Gothic larch wood church was consecrated in 1462. If you can get yourself inside, the first thing you’ll notice is the extraordinary smell of wood, a miniature organ, painted flowers on the ceiling and a few remaining touches of the original wall paintings. Lovely.QD‑5, ul. Najświętszej Marii Panny 1, tel. (+48) 14 621 31 75, www.mbsz.diecezja.tarnow.pl. Open 06:00-19:00.
Old Cemetery
A testament to Tarnów’s rich cultural past, the city’s primary Catholic cemetery dates from 1790 and features over 4,000 graves as well as several memorials, namely to the local insurgencies of 1831 and 1863, and another to the victims of the 1846 peasant riot. Also, just outside the main gates (D-5) is an austere two-part memorial to those who lost their lives between 1939 and 1945, which features a crying child (symbolising life’s grief after the loss of loved ones) and three kneeling martyrs. Located between St. Mary’s and the Holy Trinity church, those following the wooden architecture trail can actually cut through the Old Cemetery to get from the former to the latter.QD‑5, ul. Narutowicza. Open 07:30-22:00.
Dębno
Zalipie
Dębno Castle
Felicja Curyłowa Farmstead Museum
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Holy Trinity Church
Consecrated in 1597, if you can get inside this Gothic wooden church you’ll be surprised by the sumptuous interiors of the modestly-sized space, including the bright blue ceiling and gilded altar. Created in the late-Renaissance, take a close look at the altar’s extraordinary painting the Throne of Grace, which depicts God with six fingers on his left hand - representing the number of days it took Him to create the Earth.QD‑6, ul. Tuchowska 5, tel. (+48) 14 626 88 85, www.terlikowka-tarnow.pl. Open during mass only or on request. 18
St. Martin’s Hill
This 384 metre hill on the southern end of Tarnów is considered the northernmost point of the Carpathian Mountains, and it was here that the Tarnowski Castle stood for many centuries. First built in 1331, it was adapted into a Renaissance-style palace by hetman Jan Tarnowski in the 16th century, but after his son died childless in 1567 - a mere six years after his own death - the castle was neglected and eventually abandoned in 1723. Today all that remains are ruins, however they serve as a popular hiking destination for locals who enjoy the panoramic views of the Old Town. En route to the top you’ll pass Podzamcze restaurant - a perfectly decent dining option, and a recreation centre with two large outdoor swimming pools (summer only). On the eastern side, about a 15min walk from the castle ruins near a tall TV transmitter, you’ll also find one of Tarnów’s wooden churches: St. Martin’s. Built in Gothic style in the 15th century, it stands on the site of Tarnów’s first parish, established in the 12th century. To get there you can take a cab for about 15zł (call +48 601 519 919), or catch bus 31, getting off at ‘Góra Św. Marcina’ 10mins later.QGóra Św. Marcina (Zabłocie).
Ciężkowice
The Tarnów District Museum operates 6 branches in the centre of Tarnów, described briefly below. Unless otherwise noted, these branches share the following hours and prices from May to September.Qwww.muzeum.tarnow.pl. Open 09:00-15:00; Fri 09:00-17:00; Sat, Sun 10:00-15:00; closed Mon. Admission 12/9zł; Tue free. A 40/30zł ticket grants admission to all branches below.
Ethnographic Museum
A unique and fascinating exhibit on Roma (gypsy) culture in PL, including two authentic caravans in the garden. Well worth an afternoon.QC‑4, ul. Krakowska 10. N
Galeria Panorama
Inside Tarnów's train station, see cherished remnants of the Transylvanian Panorama - a lost cycloramic painting from the late-19th century, plus various changing temporary exhibits.QA‑6, Plac Dworcowy 4. Open 08:0015:00; Sun 10:00-15:00; closed Sat. Admission 10/8zł, Tue free.
Tarnów boasts several pretty fountains all within walking distance of the centre and well worth seeking out if you’ve got young kids.
Solar System Fountain
A collection of military memorabilia from the Polish Home Army, including some intriguing exhibits of Russian- and German-made weaponry.QB‑4, ul. Ignacego Mościckiego 29.
Located just off ul. Krakowska next to the Church of the Holy Family (A/B-5), this unique and original piece of public art. One of several water fountain installations throughout the city - this one is unusual as it is a model of the solar system, designed by Tarnów architect Artur Grodziński. At the center of the fountain is the Sun, from which streams of water emanate, representing rays of sunlight. The planets, symbolized by large stone spheres (the largest with a diameter of 120cm is Jupiter, the Earth is 70cm in diameter), move like real celestial bodies thanks to the pressure of the water, rotating around their own axis.
Tarnów District Museum - Main Branch
Gajda Square Fountain
Regional Center of Education about Remembrance
The administrative headquarters of the Tarnów District Museum, this historical building right on the Rynek hosts various temporary exhibits.QD‑4, Rynek 3. Open 09:00-15:00; Fri 09:00-17:00; closed Sat-Mon. Admission 10/8zł. NU
Tarnów History Museum
Newly renovated history museum including fossils, an armoury with very cool swords and interactive displays charting the city's evolution.QD‑4, Rynek 20-21. U
Town Hall Museum
Glass, silver, ceramics, weaponry, and portraits of mustaches, plus views from the tower.QD‑4, Rynek 1. NU
The newest fountain in Tarnów, commissioned in August 2020 on the square which was created after the demolition of a tenement house at ul. Bernardyńska 18 (D-4). Since December 2018, the patron of the place is Fr. Capt. Piotr Gajda (lived here between the years 1927-2018; during World War II he was a captain of the Home Army, and later also a chaplain of the World Association of Home Army Soldiers, notary of the Diocesan Curia in Tarnów, lecturer of liturgy, homiletics and canon law at the Tarnów seminary, rector of the church in Błonie).
Sanguszko Park Fountain
This fountain is on the southern side of Sanguszko Palace in Gumniska. In the years 1931-1932, an Italian-type garden was arranged with a fountain in the middle. After its renovation in July 2020, it is now illuminated by underwater lamps after dark. Future plans involve revisiting the garden’s Italian roots, harkening back to the heyday of the park. Open from 08:00-22:00.
Tarnów is known as the ‘Polish hotspot’ (Polski biegun ciepła) due to having the warmest average temperature in the country, the most sunny days and the longest summers. This is especially true of the Pogórze region just south of Tarnów, which possesses a microclimate ideal for the cultivation of wine grapes. Essentially the Polish Napa Valley, the region features some lovely countryside and enough vineyards to put together a nice ruddy road trip.
EnoTarnowskie
The Tarnów Tourist Bureau is working to change of Polish wine, and has initiated a campaign to promote wine tourism in the area. The result is EnoTarnowskie, a growing association of like-minded vineyards and local producers, and an official Polish tourist brand. For more info, including a map of all the wineries in the area, visit Tarnów’s Tourist Info Office (Rynek 7) or enotarnowskie.pl.
Grape-based Events
Eno events are organised in Tarnów and the region throughout the year, with highlights including Pleśńienski Bachus - merrily celebrating Pleśna's local wine producers (July, Pleśna), Święto Powiśla - a harvest festival and handicraft fair (August 27, Dąbrowa Tarnowska), and Tarnowskie Dionizje showcasing the region's small vineyards (November, Tarnów).
Enovelo
If you can stay sober, the region is also full of cycling trails, and the new Enovelo (enovelo.pl) initiative is paving the way for even more. The new routes created as well as upgrades to exisiting infrastructure connect nicely with the Eurovelo’s international cycling network. Have the energy, time and inclination? What’s stopping you?
Located a mere 22km west of Tarnów, just off of road 94 - the former main road from Kraków to Tarnów, Dębno Castle is an easy and worthwhile detour for anyone travelling between Małopolska’s main cities. This lateGothic knight’s residence was built between 1470 and 1480 by Jakub Dębiński, the Castellan of Kraków. At that time, the emphasis was beginning to shift from protection to prestige, as indicated by the beautiful brick and stone exterior enhanced by towers with lovely bay window trusses and door and window frames embellished with organic, geometric and heraldic motifs. Though remodelled several times as it passed through the centuries and the hands of several Polish noble families, the castle at Dębno has maintained its original appearance of four two-storey wings connected by wooden interior arcades. Since 1976 the castle has been home to the Museum of Antique Interiors and its sumptuous displays of historic period furniture and domestic items, paintings, weaponry and religious objects. A short walk around the castle also offers the chance to see a few monuments, the village church, and a picturesque graveyard. Overall, Dębno is the perfect 90-minute diversion, and ideal for stretching the legs or having a picnic.
If you don’t have a car, you can also get to Dębno by catching a bus, which run about twice an hour from the ‘Tarnów ul. Sikorskiego - Huta’ stop outside the Świt shopping centre (B-5). The journey costs 5zł, takes 3035mins and drops you off within walking distance of the castle.QDębno 189, tel. (+48) 14 665 80 35, www.muzeum.tarnow.pl. Open 09:00-16:00; Sat, Sun 10:00-16:00. Admission 17/12zł; Sat, Sun 20/14zł. N
This small village some 35km north of Tarnów is synonymous with Polish folk art, and one of the most photogenic places in PL. Since the late 19th century the residents of Zalipie have been painting their homes inside and out with floral folk patterns - a custom borne in the days before chimneys, when the smoke from cottage hearths would slowly blacken the interior walls; to brighten them up the ladies of each household would repaint them with lime and embellish them with floral motifs. By the time this practice became unnecessary, it had not only stuck, but evolved into a unique art form. Local artist Felicja Curyłowa (1904-1974) was an ambassador for Zalipie’s folk art traditions, often visited by tourists and passersby. Upon her death, her property was transferred to the Tarnów Regional Museum. Several other local buildings have been moved to the farmstead, and today they constitute an open-air museum of folk architecture and art. Most impressive, however, are the interiors - filled with original furnishings, farm tools, folk costumes and paper crafts; to see them you must join a guided tour (in Polish) which depart every hour, on the hour. In addition to the Curyłowa Homestead, you’ll see other painted homes, barns, wells and more as you explore Zalipie. Also seek out the Painters’ House (Zalipie 128A) and St. Joseph’s Church (Zalipie 160). Everything is within walking distance, but pack a lunch - there are no restaurants or shops). Use e-podroznik.pl to find connections from Tarnów if you don’t have a car. QZalipie 135, tel. (+48) 14 641 19 12, www.muzeum.tarnow.pl. Open 10:00-18:00; Thu, Sun 09:00-17:00; closed Mon. Admission 12/9zł. N
This amusingly-named town - about 40km south of Tarnów on the Biała River - is scarcely more than a village but features a charming market square, where you’ll find a Tourist Info centre in the Town Hall (open 10:00-18:00; closed Sat, Sun), a spectacular Neo-Gothic church, and truly impressive interactive Natural Science Museum (ul. 3 Maja 34, muzeum.ciezkowice.pl). To get there a car is ideal, but buses run frequently from Tarnów (e-podroznik. pl). The town boasts a few of the region’s more surprising attractions. The perfect destination for an active and educational day trip.
Stone City Nature Reserve
This 15ha nature preserve encompasses the largest sandstone formations in the Polish Carpathians. Riddled with magnificent rock outcroppings, a wonderland for kids, a scenic hiking trail winds you through the highlights of the forested landscape. A natural playground, what could be as short as a 40min hike can turn into a day’s outing depending how enthusiastic you are about exploring every tunnel, cave and cranny along the route. www. skamienialemiasto.pl
Spa Park
Recently opened, Spa Park is an ideal place to relax for families with children in the pleasant surrounds. There’s an alpine garden with mountain flora, an arboretum, and a dendrological garden displaying interesting specimens of trees, etc. The Spa provides hydrotherapy facilities, paddling pools with mineral baths and water gardens, while for fitness fanatics there’s an outdoor gym. In the tourist season, opening times are 08:00-21:00, and from October 08:00-18:00 (until 19:00 at weekends).